Salisbury 54321 - Marathon Race Report

Ran the Marathon version of this race on Sunday - Why 54321?  5 Rivers, 4 Hills (still quite lumpy even on the non-hill part) 3 Country Estates, 2 Castles and 1 Cathedral.

Weather forecast for the race was cloudy followed by sunshine - so I was a little surprized to set off in the car to Salisbury in the pouring rain.  Thankfully, it stoped just as the 50K runners were departing.

I first did this race back in 2009, they then added a 50K in 2010 and I did that too.  Since then other races and holidays have distracted me and this was the first time I had been back.

This event is so well organised and yet quite low key - you basically park on the start line, get your number over the road, stand by the start/finish line at the appointed time and off you go.

Course markings were spot on, there was only one time I thought I might have gone wrong, but that was only because someone else was questioning a sign. Scenery is great all the way round, Old Sarum, Longford Castle and my favourite bit - the old Yew Forest.  Terrain is mixed, single track, fire roads, country roads, chalk, concrete - you name it, it was there. ground was bone dry, no mud or puddle to plod through.

Weather started out fresh, no need for a jacket, and it soon warmed up. As time went on I started to slow, I have never been particularly good at running in the heat, I tried to keep in the shade but the sun was almost overhead - so very little cover available.  The occasional breeze was very welcome though.  I was wearing a cap, so took to soaking it with water at each aid station - which provided some welcome relief.

Aid stations were every 2 miles or so and I took water on at each of them, no a lot of food on offer, except at mile 15 - a nice bit of lardy cake - probably not the lightest thing to have whilst running but it was just before the Yew Forest, and running under those ancient trees following a piece of string whilst munching on lardy cake was magical.

The other surreal moment was running through Cathedral Close trying to dodge tourists as they backed up to take photos, nearly took out a few foreign students that way.

It is a great race for just running, without getting too competitive, mainly because when there are other runners around you have no idea which race they are in (as well as the Marathon, there is also a choice of 5K, 10K, 21K, 30K, 50K, plus walking versions).

Despite slowing down - I was quite pleased with the time.  I was also quite pleased that my ankles held up and feet haven't swollen up to the size of an elephant - so hopefully the damage done on the SDW100 has repaired itself.

Notes
Ground Conditions: Mainly road – solid conditions under foot - dry as a bone
Weather: Hot, with some wind.
Position 26/185 (finishers)
Time: 04:08:49
Food tried: 1 ISOGEL and 1 chunk of lardy cake. 

What I learnt:

Some runs are there for the cake and scenery
Slept in Compression tights - legs feel good Monday morning

Hardest, Toughest, more difficultest

Lots of marathons (and indeed races of other lengths) make bold claims that their Race is the most toughest/hardest/etc race in the UK but how do you compare races such as:

The Picnic, one of Britain's hardest marathons (www.trionium.com/picnic/‎)
Glencoe Marathon - Scotland's toughest marathon (www.glencoemarathon.com) Hell of a Hill - arguably the toughest 26.2 miles in the UK (http://www.hillrunner.org.uk/info2.cfm?info_id=218855)
Snowdonia Marathon, one of the UK’s most iconic and toughest marathons

Those are just a few UK entries - it gets even worse when you start including the rest of the world.  So as a comparision tool I was interested to see this tool, initially posted on the Centurion Running website: http://climbers.net/race/compare.php?id=7.8.37.59.65

There are not a huge amount of races in there but it does give the ability to compare a race you have done (SDW100) with lots of famous races that you haven't (Leadville, Hardrock, etc)

Whilst we are on the subject of hardest there are so may different conditions that can make an easy race hard and a hard race just bonkers - this years SDW50 springs to mind.

Influencing factors:
Weather - Rain, wind, snow, sun, etc.  Give me a cold day to run any day off the week - not enjoying this "hot" weather at all.
Terrain - muddy, standing water, chalk, download, moors, single track, road, Hills (the style of hill too, I find a long slow climb and lot easier than a straight up mountain. Although steps (see The Picnic) aren't killers both up and down).
Time of Day - most are early morning starts, but some over over lunch time - much prefer the early mornings.
Number of competitors - lots at the start can lead to bottle necks but a long line of runners strung out gives an incentive to try and reel in another competitor
Navigation - Good course markings versus self navigation.
And so on...I could go on

So it can be difficult to compare one race with another - the factors I have started to use is my time compared to the winner (as a percentage) and my position in the total number of finishers. That way I can gauge how well I have done and not worry too much about the time.

But I think the biggest impact on how hard a race is (and I am going to come across all american here) is mental attitude.

My toughest race was the Clarendon Way - not particular hilly or "tough" but I came at as a novice marathon runner thinking I knew what to do and I did not give the route the respect it deserved. I suffered for it big time, struggling from mile 15 onward.   It felt a very long run and when it started raining it felt even longer.

But if I was to design my own toughest race, it would start at 3pm, have Badwater heat, followed by hail stones, it would by run (mostly downhill) on chalk download, with slick mud on top of flint, confusing waymarkings and a field of 50,000 runners.

I think labels are labels, you prepare for and run what is in front of you, but it is nice to have the T-shirt.

Cross Training

After the fun of the SDW100 my feet are finally showing signs of reduced swelling and I can move them with making "monkey noises".

Rather than risk a long run, I decided to get the Bike out and have a pedal. Having not covered any real distance (other than travel to work) since last October it made a very pleasant change. I have a Sportive booked in October, so need to get some miles in.

I had forgotten how much fun it can be, the weather was nice and there was nobody else out on the roads. Ankles turned nicely and actually felt that it was helping - maybe I'll do it again this weekend - just to give the feet another rest.

The Childs Eye View

You always hope to inspire your kids so that they are interested in the things you do - basically because you'd quite like to turn out several mini-me versions of yourself.

My eldest boy has started running at the local Parkrun is making me proud with his efforts.

Middle child thinks he has more sense and is happy enough to watch the idiot runners run round whilst he plays on his bike or sits and watches.

Smallest child is still a little young to be running too far - but he still has the boundless energy of childhood - if he ran as much as he talked he'd be running JOGLE non-stop.

What makes it interesting is their view of you.  As the SDW100 coincided with Father's Day the boys made me a well done banner.  Each drew a picture of me "on route":


At the start:

Looking spritely.









At half way:




Obviously middle child though I'd be a little tired at this point.  Interestingly he has my kit choice bang on too - all that is missing is the backpack.








At the end:







Although sleeping before the finish line is a little cheeky,  I did crash out just after the finished line - so not all wrong

The down after the Downs

Well I have not run at all since last weeks SDW100 - barely walked in fact.  Spent the week RICE'ing the feet and they are on the mend but I think it'll be another week before I start back with a gentle jog.

The swelling around the ankles has gone down but there is still pain if the angle between foot and leg goes less than 80 degrees, otherwise it is fine.  I can go up stairs and on the flat - but I am still coming down stairs sideways.

So after the highs of last week and finishing my first 100 miler it has been a little low.  The updates from the race have dried up, the release of the official results, the photos (a few of me and lots of other people I don't remember seeing), a few notes on other peoples belongs (even an entry in The Independent - http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/06/23/the-road-to-the-north-face-ultra-trail-du-mont-blanc-petzl-sdw-100-mile-run/

But that is it, the elation has gone, you can only talk "non-runners" once before they get bored and you start sounding sounding like a crazy person.

It is strange that something that was so important to you at the time was experienced with 190 strangers. Those strangers will never met again in that situation.  Even the few that will do similar events, most will not know that were at the same event, perhaps we should all run with a list of previous events on the back of our T-shirts.

So that is that the SDW100 2013 is over - what I need is another event to look forward to, the event is dead long live the event.

SDW 100 Race Report

Despite some mid weeks nerves, I made it to the start in confident mood and to be honest I just wanted to get on with it.

The car was already packed with kit the night before so when the alarm went at 4:00 I was up, had a quick bit of breakfast and set off down the road. Fortunately I only had a 25 minute drive to the start line, so a fairly easy start (only wish the motorways were this clear all the time - make getting around the country a lot easier).

The start line was already buzzing by 5am - new arrivals parking up, others, who had camped over night, emerging from tents. After the kit check, a very sensible idea - it can come across as officious but it is for our benefit, I finished getting changed and waited for the race to start. During the wait "photographer man" asked to take a picture (he was a star all the way round smiling and dishing high-fives - happiest photographer I've ever met) and I even got interviewed by a couple a friends of another runner who were making a video of the run - brilliant idea. I saw a few faces I recognised from other races and blogs - I was especially looking out for Richard Pomperoy (been a long time stalker but our paths had not crossed!) but failed to see him - he's a speed merchant anyway so would have been way in front by the time I had run 50 yards.

6am and the race started, a couple of laps of the sports ground and we were off onto the SDW, a few nervous laughs as we claimed to have conquered the first big hill of the day (a slight 1m raise at the side of the pitch). But weather was looking excellent and everyone soon settled down into a rhythm. First quarter seemed to pass really quickly, soon hit the first aid station - full of tasty treats (the maxim - "a eating competition with a bit of running" held very true all day.

Having run over Butser hill before, today it didn't seem so bad, nice decent on the other side, where it seemed that they were preparing for another race. At the aid station in Queen Elizabeth Country Park I stopped to loosen my shoe laces, after a previous race with black toes I though if I did them up tight my toes wouldn't bash into the front of the shoe so much - not sure if this contributed to my later problems but will not tie them so tight in future.

The next few sections is a bit of blur, chatted to a few runners as we ran along side, then they would move ahead or occasionally I would. Very soon I had reached the psychologically important, over half way, point of Washington (54) - further than I had ever run before. I had a some of the best pasta sauce every and the best cup of tea (with milk and sugar) ever there. I changed my shirt and looked and my socks but thought they look fine I don't need to change them ( I was wearing injini toe shoes and they were doing a great job of keeping the feet blister free)

It was also here that I attempted by first repair of my left trainer. Just after 50 miles the sole of my left trainer had decided to depart company from the top half - running was okay - if a little noise but occasionally the sole would get caught and bend underneath the shoe. Oh bum. I was running without drop bags so had no replacement shoes. I taped them up as best I could with some micropore tape I had brought with me in case my feet needed taping up. I though it looked quite effective and should hold so after a good feed I set off back out of the aid station and up a hill (aid stations are always at the bottom of a hill).

Leaving Washington I didn't see another runner for the next 13 miles - except at one point when looked over my shoulder and saw a runner behind, next think I know he's zipped pasted me and is bounding up the hill in front - took a little while to work out that he was not involved in the race - and probably didn't have 60+ miles in his legs.

I didn't want to leave the aid station at Botolphs (61.2) so many tasty treats - sushi, cakes, dips, etc. could have eaten the lot, but there were more hills to climb and more tasty treats on route.

Left trainer was playing up again on the way so at Housedene Farm (76.6), I asked if anyone had some tape. Once of the support was a sparky and had some electrical tape - what a star so they were patched up properly and good to go. Thanks a lot - you saved my race - I did think I might have to take up barefoot running a little earlier than planned.

As night came down, the wind picked up and it was time to put on the jacket and head torch - putting on a jacket in strong wind in the dark is not easy but I wrestled it to submission and felt warmer for it.
My right foot started to play up (obviously jealous of all the attention the left foot was getting) - which meant that walking was becoming increasingly painful although running wasn't - not that it was fast running but I still had the energy to jog on forward.

Night section was good going - was apprehensive about this but actually it was fine - I had saved my GPS battery for this section and I was pleased I did, trying to follow a grassy path, surrounded by grass was tricky in places. The other bonus was that some of the supporters in the car parks along the way had flashy lights so you could get a better sense of direction - thanks to the flashers.

By this time I was convinced I would finish - the time was irrelevant - sub24 hours was in the bag so not that I was pushing myself I relaxed a little and just plodded on. I had been following a split sheet and was regularly 30 to 45 minutes ahead of schedule which I was pleased with - it was only when I looked again that I noted I had printed out one for 23 hours - so I was 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead (get in)

Became so relaxed and chatty I got told to "sod off" at Southease - quite right too.

Almost done - going into Alfriston (91.6) the GPS battery ran out but I had got through the tricky bits of navigation so shouldn't have any problems. At Alfriston - more tea served by a red squirrel - no really - who was also keen to get rid of us. Out of Alfriston and up another hill.

Less than 10 miles to go and it was just a matter of hanging in there - painful down hill on both feet now, up hill and on the flat was fine though.

First navigation mistake of the evening - ran past the final checkpoint (doh) and wasn't until I was running out of Jevington (up a hill) that I realised I had gone wrong - couple of guys behind us confirmed it, back we went for a quick check in and a few bits of food before heading out again.

The rise out of Jevington goes on and on and on and on (I remember being really really knackered on the SDW50, but this time I just plodded on and on and on.

The turning at the trig point to bring us off the SDW (which I sailed past on the SDW50) was lit up with glow sticks and was unmissable. It must have been an interesting sight to any non participants out on the course. Getting down from the SDW was hard though - all downhill and it was getting increasingly more painful and slower. Everyone else seemed to be taking the decent slowly too.

Finally I hit Eastbourne and some easy running on level(ish) tarmac - just 1.7 miles left said a helpful supporter - this bit took ages too. Still the sight of the race track and the final jog round the running track was a welcome sight - excellent place to finish.

And so I jogged across the line and was handed my buckle - I have never worked so hard for a lump of metal - I'm sure it'll go in the box under the bed with the rest of my medals never to see the light of day again - but I know it's there and I know I earned it.

So after 22:18 of relentless forward motion you stop, you sit down, have some food, more tea and then start to assess the damage. After a shuffle into the shower, top half a few rubs - I'd forgot to "body glide those bits" - idiot.

Feet looked really good - no blisters or hot spots, toe nails all present and correct. Both ankles however, where almost hidden by a large swelling. Except for the indentation of the sock line (where the socks too tight?), oh that is going to hurt later.

I changed and found some room on the floor to lie down - it would be another 7 hours or so before the bus was to arrive to take us back to the start - I didn't really settle, I thought I would be knackered but my feet keep me awake.

Around 9:00 the floor was cleared and the "bus people" gathered to have a chat in the corner of the foyer - swapping stories and watching the remaining finishers cross the line.

Getting on the bus was interesting - those steps were like Mount Everest, getting off was even worse - as for changing gear on the car on the short drive home - ouch. Very pleased to get home and get my feet up literal.

Big thanks to James and the crew for organising the event - it was superb - if someone said you can run 100 miles but you would suffer pain after it - would I still do it - of course I would.

Would I do it again though ? Not sure (I doubt the wife would let me!)

Footnote: Over the course I had a pedometer which counted out over 160000 steps, on Monday I think I managed 20, Tuesday I am rocking, I crawled up the stairs, had a bath and have over 50 steps in the bag - and it's not even lunch time.

Notes
Ground Conditions: Mainly trail – solid conditions under foot - dry as a bone
Weather: Cool dry, some wind - occasionally pushing me along.
Position 62/142 (finishers)
Time: 22:18:53
Food tried: Everything.

What I learnt:
Pain is not temporary, but the achieve will last forever.
Body glide everything
If your trainers are near the end of their life - don't add another 100 miles to them and not expect them to complain
Use drop bags for emergency just in case stuff - like new trainers, legs

Nervous? You bet

So less than a week to go to the SDW100, feeling a little nervous, mainly about running through the night. Running at night is fine - happy with that, but running through it after a full day running, not done that before. I am very much a morning person and like to be tucked up in bed and fast asleep before the clock strikes 11:00, so to run through that and out the otherside will be interesting. Still, to paraphrase Scott Jurek (who may have quoted someone else), "it isn't a challenge if there is no fear of failure." Still a little pre-race nerves must be a good thing - a healthy respect for the distance (and respect it I do). The furthest I've gone before is 53 miles (should have been 50 but I got lost a little and hand to double back), so there is a lot to respect. I let you know how it went.